The Search for an Empty Truth
by TheGoddessJynx
Summary: Inyuasha and Kagome, a cute couple but not without their issues. But Inuyasha never dreamed this would be an issue...he thought he could protect her. If not from demons, at least from this. warning: GRAPHIC, not for the faint of heart
1. End of days

Miyu: I am in an odd mood tonight…my muse wishes me to write…and write I must.

Ryuu: you have a muse?

Miyu: why, of course! Where do you think I obtain my creavity?

Ryuu: I always thought you robbed it off of the people you killed.

Miyu: …that too. ::scribble, scribble::

Ryuu: I suppose that leaves me with the disclaimer. Miyu does not own Inuyasha nor any of the characters therein.

Miyu: now, for the warning…::ominous music::…my mind is in an odd state tonight…the moon is a dark hole, and so is the state in which it has left me. What follows now is a result of darkness…and pain…

Ryuu: you need help. No, seriously…you're disturbing.

Miyu: enjoy!!

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"Kagome!" Kagome tripped. Sighing, she shoved a lock of her raven-black hair behind her ear. "What do you WANT, Inuyasha?"

"Could bring back some more of those potato chips? Oh, and some steak. Oh, and those hard candy things."

Kagome struggled against the urge to scream "sit" and took a deep, somewhat calming, breath. "I am NOT your delivery girl, Inuyasha!"

"What are you whining about?" Inuyasha glared at Kagome in his usual manner. "You're gonna be there anyways, so you may as well bring the stuff back."

"That steak is expensive!" Kagome glared back. "And I get the feeling that the only reason you want me around is to feed you!"

Inuyasha blinked. "What are you talking about, Kagome?" He looked down at her with an adorable confusion.

Kagome swallowed. Why did she always get weak in the knees every time he looked her in the eye with those sizzling-hot amber eyes? His eyes were so hot, she practically melted before him.

"You know you're the only who can find the jewel shards."

Why that little…

Kagome smiled coldly at him. "Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha's eyes widened. He knew what was coming.

"SIT!"

Kagome whirled around, every inch of her fuming, and left a very befuddled Inuyasha halfway into the ground.

"Inuyasha, you're such an idiot," Shippou shook his little fox-demon head while he licked a bright green lollipop, compliments of Kagome.

"Shut up, you little twirp!" Inuyasha sat up in a huff. What was with her, anyways?

"It's your fault, you know," Shippou nodded knowingly. "You always set yourself up for a big sit."

"Hmph," Inuyasha muttered, digging his fist into poor Shippou's head.

Sighing loudly, he headed off into the woods, desperate for some time alone. Why did she always have to be like that? Always getting upset at the tiniest thing. What did he do wrong, anyways? It's not like he didn't enjoy being around her. She was amazing, in her own special way. But still…he loved getting her riled up like that. He adored that angry spark in her eye, the way she put her hands on her slim hips, or crossed her arms over her voluptuous bosom. Yes, she was definitely gorgeous when she was angry…up until the point when she opened her mouth to scream that blasted word.

Sighing yet again, he hopped up into a tree branch, shaking himself off as though it would shake off the nasty feeling he had.

Sure, they'd had fights before…but something was odd about today. For some reason, he felt like running after her and never letting her leave his sight.

"Hmph. Stupid Kagome," he muttered, positioning himself to watch the sun set behind the purple mountains in the distance.

"Stupid Inuyasha!" Kagome muttered to herself. "The uncaring little…" She chose not to end that sentence.

Glancing up at the nearly-dark sky, she shook her head. Why did he always have to be so annoying? So arrogant. So rude. So insensitive. So…damn delicious without his shirt.

Kagome blinked. Where on earth did that come from?

She quickly pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she hurried along back to the village.

Her stay back at home in the present had been shorter than she'd anticipated. Much to her dismay, her mother had already generously bought the steak and candy for Inuyasha. Kagome would have much rather just not brought it back at all. See how you like that, Inuyasha.

Something moved.

Kagome froze. Swallowing hard, she slowly turned to look behind her. "I…Inuyasha? Is that you?"

No answer.

Turning back around, she quickened her pace and reached into her blouse for the jewel shards. _Not another demon!_ She hoped silently. She glanced down at herself. If only the washing machine hadn't been broken when she went back. Consequently, she was forced to wear an old pair of shorts that were a bit too tight and a small, faded old tank top. Why didn't she just go for the sweatpants?

_Because you wanted Inuyasha to notice you._

Did not!

The bush behind her rustled. "Inuyasha?" Kagome gasped, noting that her voice sounded somewhat shrill. "Inuyasha, this isn't funny! Come out right this minute!"

"Sorry, girlie," a rough voice replied. "Wrong man."

Four burly, dirty, drunk-looking men stumbled out of the bushes. "So, girlie…what's a pretty thing like you doing out here?" The nearest one with a balding head slurred.

"Yeah. Out looking for a good time?" The second one smiled a toothless smile.

The third one tripped a bit, but regained his balance. "Well, you found it. So why don't you come over here and show us what's under those strange clothes of yours."

Baldy laughed. "Yeah. A good time."

"Funny looking clothes, but that's okay. Easier to get off, eh?" The fourth one, head covered in wild, unkempt hair, grinned slyly.

Kagome clutched desperately at the small bottle around her neck containing the jewel shards. "Y-you guys had better leave me alone! If you don't," she swallowed hard. "My boyfriend is going to come after you!" Sheesh! She just called Inuyasha her boyfriend!

The men laughed in unison. "Uh-oh!" Toothless said in mock fear while the others continued laughing. They resumed the steady approach.

Grabbing her backpack by the strap, she flung it at the first man as hard she could, knocking him over. Turning immediately to the others, she threw the heavy backpack straight at them but didn't bother to stay and watch them all go tumbling over. Turning, she ran as fast as she could through the woods, not realizing she didn't know where she was going. She neglected to think as she glanced back at them, causing herself to go plowing straight into a tree.

"Oww!" she moaned as she collapsed in a heap onto the ground.

She sat there for a moment, trying desperately to regain her bearings.

"Hey. That was pretty mean."

Kagome's eyes widened. _No. Oh, gods, no_. Slowly turning around, she felt her heart plummet at the sight of the four men staggering up behind her.

"Looks like we're gonna hafta teach her a lesson for that one." Baldy grinned. He reached out and curled a calloused hand tightly in her hair, yanking harshly.

"Stupid little whore. You'll get what you deserve now."

Kagome gasped quietly, tears streaming from her eyes. "Please…oh, please, don't…" She tried desperately not to scream, afraid they'd hurt her more.

"What's that, girlie?" Toothless grabbed her face roughly, causing the pain from Baldy's hand in her hair to worsen. "You say somethin'?"

"Please…" Kagome moaned. "Please…Inuyasha…help…"

"You're boyfriend can't help you now." The third man leered at her then grabbed a fistful of her top, ripping it into shreds.

Toothless grinned another empty smile. "Pucker up, girlie." With that, he shoved her face into his, nearly choking her with his enlarged tongue shamelessly exploring her mouth.

Kagome was trying so hard not to sob, but to no avail. "Shut up!" The fourth one barked. He reached a hand deep into her shorts and pulled, the ratty old shorts giving easily. He smiled disgustingly. "Aren't you a pretty little thing…I've got a daughter that looks kinda like you."

_Inuyasha, Inuyasha, Inuyasha_…Kagome chanted in her mind. She whimpered, no longer aware of the noises she made.

"I said, shut UP!" The fourth one spat at her. He grabbed her face, allowing a sickening aroma of feminine odors into nostril, and muttered, "Fine. I'll make you shut up." He lifted her head about a foot off the ground and paused there, as though waiting for some cue. He then swiftly brought her delicate head smashing into the stony ground.

Everything swam before Kagome's eyes, and the last thing she remembered before the darkness was a horrifying pain between her legs.

Miyu: wasn't that beautiful?

Ryuu: what are you, sick?

Miyu: I prefer the term "creatively dark"…

Ryuu: you're sick and you need help.

Miyu: until next time…what becomes of our beautiful heroine? Will Inuyasha save her? Or is she doomed to the cruelty of men?

Ryuu: hey, wait. What have you got against men, anyways?

Miyu: hehehe….please review!

Ryuu: no, really. What's up with that?


	2. Night in full glory

Miyu: okay, apparently some people don't understand the meaning of dark. When I say dark, I mean freaky. Disturbing. Unusual. Possibly even disgusting. It's about a rape! It happens! I'm sorry! It's what I feel like writing about, so deal with it! I rated this pg-13 for a reason!.....meh…..

Ryuu: whoa…kinda scary there.

Miyu: if you want the blasted disclaimer, go back to the first chapter!! ::glare::

Ryuu: O.O I'm going to go hide now…

Miyu: ::dark aura….::

"Hey, Miroku? Wasn't Kagome supposed to come back tonight?" Sango turned an inquiring eye to the monk. "Or…maybe not." She glanced back at the ground, a concerned look on her face.

"No, no…I think you're right. I believe she said she might be able to make it back tonight." Miroku glanced up at the nearly full moon. "Do you suppose she was delayed?"

Sango sighed. "I don't know." Turning to her right, she glanced over at the silver-haired demon who pretended to be asleep. "Yo! Inuyasha! Maybe you should go check on her!"

Inuyasha sprung to his feet, and irritated glare in his eyes. "I'm trying to sleep here!"

"So?" Miroku kept his gaze pointedly on the moon.

Inuyasha clenched his fist at his side, wanting desperately to take a swing at the annoying monk and his aggravating comments. "Fine! If it will keep you from getting on my back!" Inuyasha spun around and was off in a flash, leaving a confused Sango and amused Miroku to stare at his shrinking figure. "What was that all about?" Sango asked Miroku without looking at him.

"I dunno. He's been more testy tonight than he usually is. Maybe it's a demon thing."

Sango swallowed. Her eyes remained glued to the trees wherein Inuyasha had previously disappeared as she mulled over the strange feeling she had. "I don't know. Something…I don't know."

The brown eyes of a certain demon slayer turned to gaze at a nearly complete white orb in the dark sky, and a certain soft hand slowly reached to grasp a surprised monk's hand tightly.

She didn't like this. She didn't like this one bit.

"Kagome! You here?" Inuyasha's loud voice echoed down the empty well. He sniffed the air softly, and shook his head. "Her smell is too fresh…she had to have been here not too long ago." He shook his head once again and turned to head back towards the village.

'_Funny_,' he thought to himself. '_Her smell keeps on going…and what's the other scent? It stinks of alcohol_.'

He stopped.

On the ground before him was Kagome's backpack.

A shudder went through him.

He turned and sniffed the air again, harder this time, searching for a specific direction. He glanced to his left, into the trees, and muttered, "Kagome…what the hell have you gotten yourself into this time?" Dashing off in the direction of her scent, he felt his stomach flip-flop when he realized the stench of alcohol followed.

"Kagome?" He hollered as he jumped into the air, desperately trying to find the lost priestess. "Kagome!" He landed back down and paused, sniffing the air again. He darted to the right, running on the ground this time, the scent of his…his…whatever getting stronger.

"Kagome! Answer me!" he screamed, not noticing the shakiness in his voice, nor the panicked pounding of his heart.

The night was calm, the moon was bright, the forest was peaceful, and why, oh why, couldn't he find Kagome? Why was her sent here, and her body not? What was it that had his gut twisted in knots, his heart dancing in his throat?

Clothes.

Inuyasha froze.

There were clothes here. They were ripped, torn, practically shredded into unrecognizable pieces. And they were hers.

"Kagome?" this time his voice barely came out in whisper.

There.

He heard it. It was the faintest sound, barely audible, and certainly not capable of being heard by normal ears. But his ears were hardly normal, though definitely cute.

It was breathing…sort of. It was as though someone had recently forgotten how to breath and was trying to figure it again.

He moved slowly towards the noise, his mind telling him he had to see what it was and his heart screaming at him not to. '_Oh god, oh god, oh god…_'

A muscled, quaking arm reached out and moved aside the bush that disguised the miniscule sound. And there, beyond the bush and its sorrowful thorns, lay a dark-haired beauty, pale and naked, curled up by a tree in the moonlight. All over her body were bruises, some not fully there, other's dark and bitter. Deep cuts blanketed her body and seemed to glare at the red-clothed intruder in the moon's silver rays. Along her neck were vicious marks of a horrible injustice, an angry reminder of the cruelty's that hid amongst the world's beauty.

Inuyasha struggled to swallow, but failed miserably. "Ka…go…"

He whipped around, turning his back on the quivering girl, on the scene that he never could have fathomed in his life. He collapsed on the ground and threw up repeatedly, even until after his stomach had relinquished all there was, leaving him with dry heaves. It was disgusting, it was awful, it was horrifying, it was sickening (obviously), it was…it was…

"Inu…yasha…"

It was Kagome!

He whirled around and dashed over to the still beautiful woman who lay on the soft earth. He pulled her into his arms, warm tears he didn't even recognize falling down his face and onto hers, clutching her as though the earth itself wished to steal her away. He slowly laid her back down on the earth and removed his outer clothing, covering her with it. She was his! He punched the tree, a loud crack echoing through the forest. His Kagome! His responsibility! He failed! He should have known, he should have listened to his gut instinct and not let her go alone! He—

Kagome's eyes opened.

Inuyasha looked down at her. "Oh, Kagome…" He slowly reached down, intending to brush the hair gently out of her face and…

She flinched.

He froze.

She stared at the bushes just beyond him, never once looking at him…at all.

'_What…_' Inuyasha stared at her for a moment. '_She…she's scared! Of me!_'

"What…the hell…did they do to you?" Inuyasha's teeth ground out the words that he felt inside, the anger, the rage, the…hurt.

Kagome continued to stare blankly at the bushes.

"Inuyasha? Kagome?" Inuyasha didn't budge as Sango and Miroku came running up to them, Shippou and Kirara in tow.

"Inuyasha! Did you find Kagome? We were worried when you didn't come back after—"

"KEEP SHIPPOU BACK!"

Shippou froze where he was, sheer terror in his eyes at the tone of Inuyasha's voice. It was…disturbing.

"Inuyasha, what…?" Sango came through the bushes with the question on her lips, but it quickly died when she saw the scene before her. "Oh god, no…" Sango's eyes widened in shock as she took in the state of Kagome, and her silent gasp was quickly followed by tears. "Oh, Inuyasha. What happened?"

Inuyasha's face remained hidden. "Sango, take Kagome back to the village."

"But—"

"Now."

Sango's eyebrows wrinkled in worry, but she nodded nevertheless. Miroku came over to help her lift Kagome.

"Don't touch her, Miroku."

Miroku blinked, a hurt look well hidden from his face, save for in his eyes. "What? Why?"

Inuyasha said nothing and began to walk away.

"Wait! Inuyasha! Where are you going?" Sango hollered to Inuyasha, a limp and senseless Kagome dangling in her arms.

Inuyasha never slowed his pace. "There are some people I'd like to meet."

And in the soft, silvery light of the moon above, no one noticed the slight shift of Kagome's gaze…

Miyu: well…there it is. The second chapter. If you like it, good. If you don't…oh well. No rope around my neck.

Ryuu: okay, you are REALLY creepy tonight. I mean, you're defining the term "bitch"…am I allowed to say that in here?

Miyu: who the hell cares? ::walks away::

Ryuu: hey, um…wait! Ya know…you're kinda sexy like this.

Miyu: ::sparkling eyes:: really???

Ryuu: and, it's gone.


	3. The Creation of a Black Heart

Miyu: well, it's 12:15 in the morning, so if this turns out crappy…you know why.

Ryuu: miyu isn't too happy about the amount of replies she's gotten…or lack thereof. And trust me, she has let me know about her frustrations…several times. A day.

Miyu: well, here's the story.

Inuyasha stared blankly at the trees as he passed them, following the stench of alcohol. He was a walking black hole, swallowing everything that came near him, absorbing the light of the moon, and leaving only a dark aura trail.

But he didn't sense any of it. He didn't sense anything at all. He could smell the trees, the dirt, the grass…and he could smell nothing.

The world was violently spinning around him, but at the same time, he felt as though he weren't moving at all, and time were frozen.

A thousand thoughts passed through his mind, and, where he asked to, he couldn't remember a single one. He was aware of everything and nothing.

"She certainly was a strange one, wasn't she?"

Inuyasha slowly walked up behind them, a non-existent bringer of death, his claws practically stretching on their own. His blood boiled and raced in his veins, and his heart stilled to silent nothing. He faintly recognized the demon in him awakening, felt the desperate need for blood.

And he could do nothing but satisfy the deafening wail in his ears.

First the closest, which happened to be Toothless. A swipe of the hand and the disgusting, pathetic excuse for a man was nothing but a beautiful pile of bloody flesh and bones.

The other three didn't hear a thing.

It happened so fast, Inuyasha hardly remembered it. All he remembered was a dark wish in the back of his mind…a wish that he could repeat this over and over. They didn't deserve to die once. They deserved hell. They deserved to die a thousand times, they deserved to lose everything, they deserved to lose their…

Family. Inuyasha blinked. Yes, of course. They deserved to watch their family be slowly ripped apart. Of course. That's what they deserved. But not just that. More…they needed more pain.

It's a funny feeling to lose your soul. You don't know that you've lost it…all you are is numb. There is no hate, no anger, no pain…just numbness. Just emptiness.

Inuyasha felt it in spades as he dragged the wild-haired man through the woods. There was only one village close enough and in the general direction the men were heading. That had to be the man's home. That was where Inuyasha would exact revenge. Not that it mattered anymore…nothing mattered. Everything had become hollow and empty. Like glass jars.

"Please! Please, I'll give you anything! Anything! Just please, let me live! PLEASE!" The man begged as he grabbed at the ground.

Inuyasha's eye twitched, and he stopped.

"Did you listen?"

The Wild-hair swallowed and stared up at Inuyasha with beady black eyes. "Wh…wha?"

"I said, did you listen."

Wild-hair swallowed again, harder this time.

"Did you listen to her when she begged you not to hurt her? Did you even hear her?" Inuyasha whirled around and dug his nails into the man's scalp.

"I'm sorry! Please, please, don't hurt me! I'm so sorry!"

For the first time that night, Inuyasha smiled. "Sorry isn't good enough. But don't worry." He turned and continued walking. "You'll pay. You…and everyone else."

Sango numbly cleaned all of Kagome's cuts and gashes, trying so very hard to disconnect herself from the volcano of emotion that was threatening to erupt at any moment. She rinsed the cloth again, squeezing the excess water out, then turned back to Kagome, blinking when she realized that the cloth and water were bright red.

She looked down at Kagome's bare body. The more serious of the wounds were clean and ready to be bandaged. Methodically, she prepared everything and dressed Kagome's wounds, years of helping her father spilling out automatically.

Someone was humming. Who was that?

"You have a pretty voice." Sango jumped about a mile and turned around to see Miroku standing in the doorway.

"Did you get Kaede?" Sango asked flatly.

"I am here," the raspy old voice of Kaede answered for Miroku. She made her way over to Sango and Kagome. "Sango, Miroku, please leave for a moment."

Miroku nodded, and Sango swallowed hesitantly before getting up and slowly walking towards Miroku. With a final, sorrowful look back at Kagome, she left.

Kaede sighed and merely sat next quietly next to Kagome for several minutes, her breathing steady, her heartbeat calm. She sensed Kagome's breathing slow, steady itself, her heartbeat returning to normal, beating with Kaede's.

"So, Kagome. Let me ask you…why are you laying here?"

Kagome said nothing.

"What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for it to go away? Because, if you are, I promise you, it won't."

Silence.

"I guess you aren't like Kikyo."

Blink.

"No. But that's okay…everyone is allowed to be weak, I suppose, if they really want to."

Blink…swallow.

"I just thought you would fight this. Granted, you wouldn't fight it like Kikyo. She would withdraw, but continue her duties. But somehow, I thought you would be different."

Blink.

"I thought nothing could bring you down. I mean, if Naraku couldn't bring you down, what could?"

Kagome stared at the wall in front of her, her chin propped on her elbows, and odd look on her face.

"I thought you were a fighter. Tell me…where do you suppose Inuyasha is right now?"

"Oh, please! Please, take me, kill me, but let the children live!" The woman screamed shrilly, hiding her two boys behind her, staring into the face of pure terror.

Inuyasha smirked. "Let them live? Why? So they can continue to pollute this world with their human ways? So they can hurt others? I don't think I can do that."

The silver-haired demon cracked his knuckles, all humanity in him nearly gone. He was on a mission, a crusade; only he could protect the innocent in the world from man's deceitful immorality.

And if that meant killing every single person on the planet, then so be it.

Miyu: ok, I can hardly keep my eyes open now. If there are any mistakes in the storyline, please, let me know.

Ryuu:snore:

Miyu: mmm…sleep… :curls up next to ryuu and prepares for sleep: oh! Before I forget….REVIEW:falls asleep with visions of evil inuyasha's dancing through her head:


	4. To find a lost heart, or to make a new l...

Miyu: can't talk, must type.

Ryuu: I think I'm going to leave. This is getting boring.

Miyu: …BITE ME.

Ryuu::strongly considers the suggestion:

"Oh, please! Please! I'm begging you, just stop!" The rather plump woman clenched her hands together in a prayerful position. "Just sto—"

"Shut up!" Inuyasha pulled his hand back and brought forward to connect squarely with the woman's face, who in turn went flying. "You stupid bitch!" The woman hit the side of the family's small hut and lay there unmoving. Her two boys cried out and ran towards her. "Mommy! Mommy!"

"Be quiet!" Inuyasha barked at the children, staring coldly down at the quivering figures. "You're going to be just like him, aren't you? You're going to be just as disgusting, filthy…" He stopped, his eyes shadowed, his fists clenched.

Taking a sigh, he looked back at the boys, a renewed, but somehow empty, determination filling is eyes. He was…unfeeling. A shell. A shell of a shell. He couldn't feel anything even if he wanted to; the night had drained him of all emotion. The moon had evaporated his soul, the darkness freezing his heart.

It was all very mechanical. Kill the man first, keep his dirty hands from moving anymore. Next, prevent anymore children from being born by eliminating the woman. And stop the next generation from becoming like that father. All simple. Easy. A mere job that must be carried out.

"Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha froze. He knew that voice, quiet, meek, but with an underlying strength that no one could see, a strength that can only be felt. But he couldn't feel anything.

He popped his hands, blood dripping smoothly from his fingers, his nails stained red. The still form of Wild-hair lay before him and stank of raw, bloody flesh. Kagome wanted to throw up. She needed to throw up.

She refused to throw up.

"Inuyasha. It's me. Don't you see me? Can you hear me?" She slowly walked over to him, past the now quiet boys, towards the red-clothed half-demon with a silent heart. "Inuyasha, I'm okay. Well…I'm not okay, but I will be. But I need your help. I need you to come with me, stay with me…don't leave me alone."

Inuyasha stood quite still, the epitome of statues. One would even swear that he wasn't breathing. Perhaps he wasn't. Perhaps when one's heart stops, their breathing stops as well.

"Inuyasha, please." Kagome's voice broke this time, her calm demeanor starting to crack without the comfort of her…her…whatever he was. "Listen to me. I need you. You can't leave me alone. Please."

For a moment, it appeared as if Inuyasha were considering her. But as soon as that possibility entered Kagome's mind it was immediately eliminated by his swift, powerful arm striking out at one of the two boys hovering by their mother. Blood flew in all directions, and the boy barely had time to scream before his heart ceased to beat and his eyes glazed over.

Kagome stared in shock at the now dead child before her. Had she not seen it happen right before her eyes, even if she had known it was Inuyasha's doing, she might still have accepted him unconditionally, might have still believed he needed her.

But all that was lost when the little boy died right in front of her.

Inuyasha slowly turned to face the other little boy.

"How…"

He paused.

"How…how could you?" Kagome glared daggers at Inuyasha's back. "How could you, Inuyasha? How could you?"

Inuyasha moved towards the boy.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!"

Inuyasha blinked in disbelief, perhaps the first emotion to cross his face for the past several hours.

He deliberately turned around, a gradual process, and faced Kagome. "How could I?" His voice was hoarse with newly found emotion. "How could _I_! What do you mean how could I! Look what he did to you! He's the bastard, the villain, the _monster_ that hurt you! And you're asking how could _I_?"

"He could never do to me what you just did!" Kagome lashed out at Inuyasha verbally, a deep pain growing even deeper in her heart. "He could never do that!"

"No, of course not! Instead he could just rape and beat you! He did that, Kagome!"

"_He hasn't hurt me like you have_!" Kagome screeched, deafening the inhabitants of the silent woods.

Inuyasha stared at Kagome.

Tears streamed from her eyes, over her cheeks and down her neck. "He only hurt my body! You're hurting my heart, Inuyasha! He could never do that! _You're killing me inside_!" Kagome's voice wavered and she sniffed hard. "Don't you see? It hurts to see you like this…it hurts so bad. It hurts like nothing I have ever felt before."

"Kagome…" Inuyasha moved to go to her, but she held up her hand.

"I asked you not to leave me, Inuyasha. I hoped and prayed that I at least had the power to make you stay with me. But I guess I can't even do that." Her voice cracked then, and she collapsed onto the ground, unearthly wails of pain and sorrow emanating from within her. She sobbed, loud, heart-wrenching sobs, sobs that carried a pain so harsh the devil himself would envy such a sight.

Inuyasha swallowed hard. "K-kagome, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"No, Inuyasha! You've already gone! You've already left me! When you killed that boy, you crossed a line that I will never be able to get over! What we had, you and me? It's gone. When you killed that boy, you killed us."

And for the first time, the weight of what he had done hit him like a ton of bricks, nearly crushing him not only emotionally, but physically as well. The guilt, the sickening smell of blood on his hands nearly suffocated him. But most of all, the guilt of knowing. Of know that what Kagome said was true.

He had killed them.

"What do you supposed is going to happen now?" Shippou looked over at Sango questioningly. "I mean…if Kagome doesn't reach him in time…what…?" Shippou's sentence trailed off into nothing.

Sango stared up at the stars silently. Truth was, she didn't know. Nothing would ever be the same again, that was for sure. But…she didn't know how either of them would be able to handle such a possibility, much less how she would handle it.

"We don't know, Shippou," Miroku interjected softly. "No one knows the future."

Shippou sighed heavily, arms crossed and mind deep in thought.

Sango leaned back until she lay across the large boulder, hands cushioning her head.

Miroku sat nearby, one knee next to his chest, the other hanging over the side of the boulder with his staff dangling precariously on the edge.

They all three remained this way for a while, wondering and waiting and hoping and dreading…neither one of them wanting to voice their thoughts for fear of them becoming real.

After a bit, Sango stretched and sighed. "He's fallen asleep."

Miroku nodded. "I know." He glanced over at the bushy form of Shippou, who's mouth may or may not have had a bit of drool on the side; it was hard to tell in the dark.

"Miroku…"

"Hmm, Sango?"

"I'm scared."

Miroku silently agreed with her. "We have to be strong for them, no matter what the outcome is. We have to—" He was cut short when a surprising Sango latched onto him in a sort of strangling hug.

"I'm really scared, Miroku. I don't like this. Any of it. I want it go away. Why can't it go away?" Sango bit her lip hard in order to hold back the tears that once again threatened to spill over.

Miroku sat there for a moment, silent and still, then momentarily wrapped his arms gently around Sango. "I know. I do too. But it can't. I wish it so bad, but it just can't." He held onto Sango for a while, keeping quiet as she finally let the tears fall, knowing that the best comfort is just to be there.

It wasn't too long before her tears subsided, and her short, jerky breaths had evened out into deep, steady breaths. Miroku looked down at the strong, battle-hardened woman in his lap and could hardly keep back the chuckle that nearly burst forth when he realized she, too, had fallen asleep. It wasn't hard to believe, really. They'd had a long night.

And so it came to be that the small group soon found themselves wondering down a dirt road a few tension-filled days later. The sun shone warmly and the sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds; birds sang cheerily in the trees nearby and it took all of Inuyasha's willpower to keep himself from killing those birds where they stood.

But Kagome wouldn't like that.

He glanced subtly down at the woman walking beside him. Things had been…well…edgy with them that past few days. Kagome followed Inuyasha everywhere but refused to say a word. Not that he had actually tried to engage her in conversation, but still. Things were bad and they didn't look like they were gonna get better.

"Ya know…you can have a different relationship." The entire group nearly died of heart failure at the sudden appearance of Myoga.

"Where the hell have you been, you flea!" Inuyasha growled as he smashed Myoga between his hands.

"My lord, I was simply scouting the surrounding area for any demons!" Myoga returned to his normal stature and bowed. "I wanted to see if Naraku was nearby."

"Yeah, okay," Inuyasha's gaze returned to its previously vacant appearance and the group continued it's now meaningless journey to find Naraku.

"Didn't you hear me? I said, you can have a different relationship."

Inuyasha paused. "…What do you mean?"

"You. Kagome. You two. You can have a different relationship. If you guys are stuck in this stint where you think you can't ever be the same again, then don't be. Have a different relationship."

Inuyasha blinked and Kagome stared blankly at Myoga.

Myoga sighed. "Look! Sango and Miroku already have the right idea." He pointed over at the two and chuckled as the two rushed to hide the little secret, albeit too late.

"Were…were you two…holding hands?" Kagome asked in disbelief.

Sango shrugged indifferently. "Maybe."

"They've been holding hands the entire time," Myoga stated matter-of-factly.

Inuyasha and Kagome stared at the monk and the demon slayer, which was probably the cause for the heavy sweatdrop that formed over Sango's head. "I don't what's so weird about it. Grow up." With that, she proceeded to march down the pathway followed by a slightly amused Miroku.

Kagome shuffled her feet nervously as she watched the two walk away, this time holding hands in plain sight for all the world to see. Inuyasha cleared his throat and glanced over at a butterfly. Kagome swallowed loudly.

"Oh, please. You two really do need to grow up," Shippou jumped out of the basket on Kagome's bike and began to walk after Miroku and Sango.

A second or two later, the little fox-demon was passed out on the ground with a huge bump on his head. "After you," growled an annoyed Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha."

The silver-haired demon suddenly realized the extent of his miscalculations, and slowly turned around to face the brunt of the "sit" head on.

To his surprise, Kagome was smiling at him, her arm outstretched towards him, hand open and palm up. She seemed to be expecting something, although Inuyasha had no idea what.

"Would you like to hold my hand?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise, and although he wasn't sure if he was comfortable with holding-hands-Kagome, he certainly preferred her over the loud-sit-Kagome.

And so it came to be (again) that the small group found themselves walking a small dirt road in Feudal-era Japan, except this time…things were different. While searching for an empty truth, they happened to stumble upon…love.

But none of them would ever admit it.

Miyu: The end! I'm not sure if I'm happy about it, though.

Ryuu: Why not? The gods know how long you've been working on it…when you could have been working on your internet course.

Miyu: Weren't you just leaving?

Ryuu: I tried, but you tied me down to the bed with ropes.

Miyu: So THAT'S what happened to my rope! Good to know!


End file.
